I Call Bulls**t on TX GOP Chair Steve Munisteri

In an interview with Texas Public Radio, TX GOP Chair Steve Munisteri attributes the passage of "reparative therapy" for gays to a quote: parliamentary trick.  I call bulls**t.

Having attended enough conventions, at least on the Democratic side, from precinct to state senate to state to national, there was no parliamentary trick.

Not ever having attended a Republican convention I have no knowledge of how they do things, but for the Democratic conventions at the state level, the platform usually is passed late on the last day of the convention.  The last day is when we on the Democratic side have the vote for party chair, which can get contentious.  After that vote, the convention moves to start going through the party platform.  This means resolutions upon endless resolutions that most people never stay for (count me as one of those people).

Most delegates are aware of the important or contentious resolutions.  In fact, those are usually brought first because most delegates are still at the convention.

Let's go a step further, most of the time, what the top brass wants, the top brass gets...especially if it avoids embarrassments.

What I'm going to guess is there was no parliamentary trick.  What I suspect happened is that most of the delegates had left by the time of the platform adoption leaving the most fervent supporters of certain items to stay and pass their resolutions.  There wasn't a parliamentary trick.  Munisteri and others were just outmaneuvered.  Their side didn't stay to the bitter end, the other side did.

And there was this gem from TPR:

Texas GOP Chairman Steve Munisteri said the two-week delay in releasing the platform had to do with some clerical errors and nothing to do with controversy surrounding the document.

Again, I call bulls**t.

If I had to guess, a number of people, i.e., wealthy donors, maybe gay Republicans (god what an oxymoron), some elected officials and candidates who were catching flack over the issue, called and complained to the point where Munisteri had to finally issue a statement.

Homophobic Republicans Love Government Intrusion

Once again Republicans have proven they love government intrusion and interference...as long as it's in relation to either abortion or gay rights.

From Burnt Orange Report:

Today, in a six-page opinion , Greg Abbott struck down advances in civil liberties for same sex couples in Texas, and answered Patrick's letter stating that it does.

Patrick had been upset that insurance benefits were offered to members of same-sex couples in Travis County, the City of Austin, Pflugerville ISD, El Paso, Fort Worth, the City of San Antonio, and El Paso County.

Thanks to Senator Dan Patrick from Houston, cities across Texas have to deal with government telling them what benefits they can offer their employees.

Why does it bother you Sen. Patrick?  And don't bring the Bible into this. To quote Pennsylvania State Rep. Brian Sims (D): Each of us put our hand on the Bible and swore to uphold the Constitution. We did not place our hands on the Constitution and swear to uphold the Bible.

Early in the session Rep. Drew Springer (R) filed a bill that targeted Pflugerville ISD.  This brings me back to a point I brought up previously, are some of these homophobic Republicans actually closeted gay Republicans?

Which of these Texas Legislators is Acutally a Closeted Gay?

This being Texas, Rep. Springer isn't the only Homophobic Hero in the Texas Legislature.  His Justice League of Homophobia has many members, all Republicans.  The 4 authors of the HB 1568 along with Rep. Springer are Jodie Laubenberg, Dennis Bonnen, John Smithee, and Linda Harper-Brown.

The coauthors of HB 1568 are Cecil Bell, Giovanni Capriglione, Brandon Creighton, Pat Fallon, James Frank, Bryan Hughes, Stephanie Klick, Matt Krause, John Kuempel, Jeff Leach, Charles Perry, Larry Phillips, Four Price, John Raney, Scott Sanford, Ron Simmons, Phil Stephenson, Jonathan Stickland, Ed Thompson, Steve Toth, Scott Turner, and James White.

Very disappointing that Reps. Turner and White, both African-American, are co-authors.  One minority going after another minority.  But being an anti-gay Republican trumps all concerns.

Back to the title of this post.  Including Rep. Springer, which of these legislators is actually gay?  If history is any guide, one of these legislators will actually turn out to have a big rainbow colored secret in his or her closet.  Legislators at the state and federal level who become known for anti-gay views and legislation have a way of falling out of that closet.

One of these things is not like the others...

ThinkProgress released mugshots of the most anti-gay U.S. Representatives.